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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23791960">Wicked Game</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotAGhost3/pseuds/NotAGhost3'>NotAGhost3</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Belonging You Seek [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera &amp; Related Fandoms, Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux, Phantom of the Opera - Lloyd Webber</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Fluffy Angst, Halloween phic, Parties, Slow Dancing, erik is a star wars nerd, its really a story about a beetlejuice inflatable, mention of Philippe/Sorelli, reza is alive</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 22:29:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,724</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23791960</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotAGhost3/pseuds/NotAGhost3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Halloween doesn't always go as planned...E/C fluff. Modern AU. Written for 13 Days of POTO Halloween 2019!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Christine Daaé/Erik | Phantom of the Opera, Raoul de Chagny &amp; Meg Giry</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Belonging You Seek [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1696057</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>50</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Wicked Game</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Another repost from FFN while I work away on some other works, never too early for Halloween fluff!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had all started with that stupid blow-up.</p><p>Christine heard the string of expletives coming from the front yard outside her bedroom window before she even had time to flip the covers off. Erik had gone out for the morning paper when the little devil herself had ran out the door.</p><p>The nine and a half foot tall inflatable never stood a chance.</p><p>Honestly, she wasn't very shocked. Ayesha had been eyeing it ever since Erik had gotten it at the beginning of the month, growling and hissing every time she saw it through the glass storm door. She was constantly on edge around it, acting as if she'd pounce out the door if the opportunity presented itself. It had only been a matter of time before the cat found the right moment to unleash her fury through her sharp little claws. Such a good kitty, only trying to protect her humans from the danger in the front yard.</p><p>Erik didn't see it in quite the same light.</p><p>He had 'grounded' her to the upstairs guest bedroom, her litter box, food and water placed in a corner behind the closed door. She could only chuckle as Erik had insistently replied "no" and "you were a bad cat" as he mimicked Ayesha's whining meows back to her. All of this happened within the first ten minutes of her being awake.</p><p>She should've known it'd be a crappy day right then and there.</p><p>The inflatable had a nice sized gash in it towards the bottom from where Ayesha had attacked, preventing the air from blowing it up and Erik declared a trip to the store to fix it.</p><p>Scratch that, <em>that</em> was the moment she knew it was going to be a crappy day.</p><p>She had tried to talk him out of it, explain to him that it wouldn't kill him to wait a few days to go, the neighbors surely wouldn't mind a break from the huge creature.</p><p>"But it's the sand worm, Christine! From <em>Beetlejuice</em>— it's important!"</p><p>And that was how they ended up at Home Depot before nine in the morning.</p><p>The Halloween aisle had shelves that stretched to the ceiling, and blinking orange and purple string lights wrapped around the shelf posts. Seemed like every possible decoration she could think of was stacked and displayed in front of her. Large fake spiders, spooky synthetic cobwebs, tiny 'haunted' tricycles that rolled on their own at the push of a button—</p><p>Erik was in his element.</p><p>She could already see him eyeing up other decorations as the browsed, slowly trying to get to the aisle with the patching tape they came in for. However, she knew no trip was complete without Erik at least <em>looking</em> down the Halloween aisle, if not spending 30 or more minutes in it. He loved Halloween, so much to a point that sometimes she wondered if she should be jealous, but she knew she was being ridiculous. Still, a fact that forever remained true was that Erik thrived at Halloween time, his imagination alive.</p><p>Personally, she'd always been a Thanksgiving person.</p><p>It was when he had just picked up an animatronic doorbell that revealed a glowing red eyeball when pressed that Christine noticed a little girl tugging on his jacket.</p><p>"I like your costume mister!"</p><p>"Grace!" the mother of the little girl swooped down and picked her up, "I'm so sorry, sir..." but her voice trailed off when her eyes met the mask. Without another word she hurried down the aisle, the little girl on her hip giving a wave as they retreated around the corner.</p><p>"Christine, close your mouth, it's rude to stare," Erik said nonchalantly as he went back to examining his latest find.</p><p>Her teeth clicked as she closed her mouth. How was he so calm? The woman had practically ripped her child away from him as if he...he...was going to kidnap her or something! That was so incredibly rude. The kid meant no harm- Erik did nothing but stand there and the mom acted as if she'd just found America's most wanted!</p><p>"Hey, you ok? You're shaking—"</p><p>"No I am not ok!" She cut him off, her temper reaching a breaking point. "That woman was rude to you for no reason! That was uncalled for!"</p><p>Erik shook his head and reached a hand out to rest on her shoulder. "She wasn't that rude at all. I'm in a mask, in public and it's not Halloween, it's what people do. Happens all the time, it's something you get used to." With that he went back to digging through the shelves.</p><p>Christine, however, fumed the entire rest of the shopping trip.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>You have been summoned to a:</em>
</p><p>
  <em>HALLOWEEN PARTY!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It will be frightfully fun and scarily spooktacular. Dinner will be provided. Costumes and booze required.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>6:00pm, Halloween Night.</em>
</p><p><em>The Chagny</em>s</p><p>The crisp black stationery nearly fell from her hands as she read it, it's envelope already discarded on to the the kitchen island. An occultist eyeball stared up at her beneath the words, and black lace trimmed the thick cardstock.</p><p>"What's that?" Erik asked, coming to peer over her shoulder after bringing in the last of the grocery bags.</p><p>"An invitation," she deadpanned, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.</p><p>"Invitation? For what?"</p><p>"Look for yourself." She handed the invitation to him over her shoulder and stood back to give him time to read it.</p><p>He snorted and tossed the letter back on the counter.</p><p>"I'm sorry, but 'you have been summoned'? Are they for real? Ha!" he laughed, shaking his head. "They should hire me to write their next party invitations—"</p><p>"Erik!" She gave him a not so gentle punch to the arm. "That's not the point!"</p><p>"Oh?" and she knew there was a perfectly quirked eyebrow beneath the thin layer of black that covered his face. He always did this; give her the innocent silent treatment when he didn't wish to discuss things.</p><p>Very clever on one hand.</p><p>Very annoying on the other.</p><p>"Well, we aren't going," she announced, cramming the letter back in the bright purple envelope.</p><p>"Of course not," Erik parroted back, purposefully looking away from her and picking up a grocery bag.</p><p>"Erik are you even listening to me?" the envelope slammed on the counter with a smack as she cocked her head to stare at the back of him.</p><p>"Hm?"</p><p>She huffed, stacking the rest of the mail on top the cursed invitation. "You heard me."</p><p>"You must speak up, dear, your beloved husband does have selective hearing. Erik hears what he wants to hear..."</p><p>Her comeback was ready to shoot out of her mouth at him, but she was stopped by her phone going off, vibrating in her pocket. She pulled it from her coat and went to see who was calling—</p><p>"It's Meg."</p><p>She could see that Erik's "selective hearing" was really acting up that morning as she pushed answer on her phone and put it to her ear, immediately adopting the bubbliest tone she could manage.</p><p>"Hi Meg!"</p><p>Her eyes were shooting daggers just in time for Erik to turn around.</p><p>"Put it on speaker phone!" he mouthed, miming a phone with his hand.</p><p>She lowered the phone down as a cheery "<em>Chrissy! Hiii! How are you?" </em>resonated from the phone before hitting the speaker phone button.</p><p>Erik gave a thumbs up and turned back to the bag of groceries sitting in front of the oven. He may be a snoop, but at least he was putting groceries up without her asking for a change. Wasn't exactly a compromise, but she'd take it.</p><p>"I'm good, Meg. Did you need something? It's pretty early to be getting a call from you..."</p><p>"<em>Well, yes, but it isn't that early! I just wanted to call and see if my invitation had made it to your house yet!"</em></p><p>She could hear Erik snickering from his place in front of the lower cabinets of the island.</p><p>"Actually, we just brought the mail in and..." <em>it's right here in front of me, the eyeball is such an original touch</em>. "nope, I don't see it!"</p><p>"Liar," Erik mouthed at her, his lips still tilted up in a smirk.</p><p>"<em>Really? Oh, well, that's alright! The letter is not important, I can just tell you over the phone!</em></p><p>Christine inwardly groaned and set her elbows on the counter, still holding the phone in front of her mouth as Meg rattled off details she was sure to not file into her important memories.</p><p>"<em>And the best part is— Phillippe is going to propose to his girlfriend!"</em></p><p>That made her stop.</p><p>"Wait, Sorelli? At a Halloween party—"</p><p>"<em>Yes! I know it sounds crazy but it's really romantic because she loves Halloween. I mean I'll forever be grateful that Raoul-y bear,"</em> Erik fake gagged in the background, "<em>chose a summer picnic to propose, but you know— to each their own!"</em></p><p>Christine rolled her eyes at Erik's silent dramatics, humming in agreement to Meg's statement.</p><p>"To each their own..." she repeated, watching Erik close the fridge door— all the groceries put away— and walk up behind her.</p><p>"<em>So, you and Erik are gonna come, right? I mean, we really want all the important people to come and..."</em> Christine zoned out as Erik pressed a kiss to the side of her neck and his arms snaked around her torso from the back. She tilted her chin up to give him more access as she gripped the phone tighter.</p><p>"<em>Well?"</em></p><p>"Well Meg, I'll talk to Erik about it and see what he says. I'll call you back and let you know for sure—"</p><p>"<em>Perfect! Thank you Chrissy! This means the world to us if you come!"</em></p><p>"You're so hot when you get flustered..."</p><p>"Alright, bye Meg," she said, hair on her arms raising at Erik's whisper in her other ear.</p><p>And with a click the phone hung up and she set it down on the counter as Erik's hands started to roam under her shirt. She turned around in his arms to face him before he lifted her up to sit her on the counter.</p><p>"We are not going."</p><hr/><p>7 missed calls, and 4 voicemails. If Meg was anything, she was persistent.</p><p>Christine had called the day before to tell her that they were not coming to the party, but every excuse she gave her, Meg immediately shot down. She had tried everything, even pulling the 'well you know Erik has social anxiety' and 'don't you think it'll be awkward...you know...the broken off engagement?' out of her back pocket. Nothing. She had reverted to avoiding the calls altogether. But she knew that wouldn't work for long. Meg was a good friend and she treasured their friendship, she just couldn't stand her husband...or Raoul's family. Now she just wanted to cuddle with her own husband and leave the past in the past.</p><p>So when she walked into Erik's study to ask him how his day had been, she was surprised to see him and Nadir bent over his latest set of blueprints.</p><p>"Oh, hey Nadir," she said, coming to stand over Erik's shoulder.</p><p>"Hey!" he replied, looking up at her with a smile from the blueprints.</p><p>Nadir, lest Erik admit it, was the closest thing Erik had to family and lived across the street (much Erik's dismay and delight) with his wife and son. If there was ever a problem Nadir was there in a heartbeat and vice versa. In all honesty, Christine knew nearly nothing of Nadir and Erik's past, but she had learned long ago to not ask. They were business partners. Nadir the face and Erik the brains as her all too proud husband liked to jokingly say.</p><p>"How's it going?" she asked Erik, leaning around him to press a kiss to his cheek.</p><p>"Awful, these imbeciles messed up a key element in the structure planning and now I get to fix the whole disaster—"</p><p>"It's not a disaster," Nadir cut in.</p><p>Erik glared over the table at him. "It's a disaster."</p><p>Christine laughed and pulled up a chair.</p><p>"Meg still bothering you?" Erik asked, turning to look at her.</p><p>"Erik, she isn't bothering me she just...won't take a no for an answer."</p><p>"Oh! Is this about that big party you were telling me about?" Nadir popped into the conversation, folding his hands on the table across from them.</p><p>Erik groaned but Nadir didn't give him a chance to explain himself.</p><p>"Mandy and I are throwing a Halloween party next week on Halloween for Reza, you guys are more than welcome to come—"</p><p>"Thank you, Nadir," Erik cut him off, sarcasm dripping from his tone.</p><p>"Really? That sounds fun!" Christine said instead, beaming at him as she kicked Erik under the table.</p><p>"Yeah, his entire second grade class is supposed to come, it'd be awesome to have some extra hands to help. Or just to come hang out."</p><p>"Why did you get him started..." Erik mumbled, head in his hands.</p><p>"That sounds lovely Nadir, we'll try and come."</p><p>This time it was Erik who gently kicked her under the table.</p><hr/><p>She turned her phone off as she flipped the covers back on the bed, crawling in beside Erik.</p><p>"Meg again?"</p><p>She nodded.</p><p>"Yeah, Annie's been blowing up my phone about it too," he said, reaching over and pulling the cover back up over her as she laid down.</p><p>"I just don't see what is so important about it! I am positive that neither of us are very far up on Sorelli's favorite list, she's too posh, and I know that Philippe would rather me not be there. He never liked me to begin with..."</p><p>Erik wrapped an arm over her waist and pulled her close. "It's just a numbers game. A wicked game, but a game all the same. They want as many people as they can so it looks as though that many people willingly came for them, that's all. You know how the media gets along with the blatantly rich. It's just a game to see how many they can cram in their undersized living room—"</p><p>"Erik!" she interrupted him, a slight laugh to her tone. "What would Meg say if she heard you insulting her house?"</p><p>He merely shrugged.</p><p>The silence stretched on as she felt Ayesha hop up on the bed (she was in her usual spot against Erik's legs near the foot of the bed), neither of them wanting to to admit what was going to have to end up happening.</p><p>"She cried the last time she called," Christine said, her tone softer.</p><p>Erik pulled her closer.</p><p>"I think we're gonna have to go." There. She had said it. Each word felt like molten lava in her mouth, but somewhere deep down she knew it was the right thing to do. Yet—</p><p>Somewhere <em>deeper</em> down, she had a bad feeling. A very bad feeling.</p><p>"I think so too," Erik sighed in defeat, looking down at her.</p><p>"I hate snobby rich people parties," she grumbled, snuggling closer before Erik added in his two cents:</p><p>"I just hate people."</p><hr/><p><em>Witchy Woman</em> thumped through the speakers of the house, purple laser lights cutting lines through the mist of the fog machines. There was a sea of people in the front room of the small mansion and Christine had to admit that she didn't think it'd be this crowded. Especially since she'd been told that only close, important people had been invited.</p><p>She gave Erik's hand a squeeze.</p><p>The fur of her faux fur jacket brushed up against the fin of a man's shark costume, as she got pushed off balance into the man's direction.</p><p>"Hey! Watch where you're going...<em>cat</em>, or whatever you are."</p><p>Erik yanked her away from the guy, protecting her under the wing of his black cloak. "It's Chewbacca, dumbass," he muttered under his breath, pulling her through the front room and into a side hallway. "I mean c'mon, it's obvious."</p><p>"It's not that obvious."</p><p>Her furry coat was a poor excuse for Chewbacca but it worked. Besides, anything was more recognizable than Erik's but he was still very excited about it.</p><p>"At least it's more obvious than yours, hm? Who are you again?" she laughed, straightening the collar of his shirt.</p><p>"Snoke, Christine. Supreme Leader Snoke. Not that hard to remember."</p><p>She cracked a smile. "<em>Right</em>...that's exactly what I get looking at your costume."</p><p>"Yeah, well...it makes more sense with the mask off..." he admitted gesturing to the piece of black leather on his face. It still unsettled her when he wore it, she had become far too used to his actual face. The mask was more of an alien obstacle than anything now. But, it was Halloween she supposed, at least he wouldn't be questioned about wearing it.</p><p>A flash of a camera temporarily blinded her before she had a chance to say anything more to Erik.</p><p>"Daaé? Christine Daaé?"</p><p>"Yes?" She said, lowering her hand from her forehead.</p><p>Big mistake.</p><p>"How do you feel you can still show your face at your ex fiancé's house? A bit risqué, I'd say—"</p><p>"Excuse me?" It was paparazzi, why they were still concerned with her history with Raoul that had happened nearly half a decade ago she would never know, but gosh they still got on her nerves.</p><p>Another dozen of rapidly fired flashes of light.</p><p>"Is it because you're seeing him behind his wife's back? Rekindling old feelings?"</p><p>"I would advise you to take that camera of yours and shove it down someone else's throat."</p><p>Erik looked even more menacing than usual in the darkness with the fake fog and his hooded cloak, towering over the snooping photographer. "You can tell whatever scumbag you work for that Christine is not and would never do any of the things you dare to suggest."</p><p>"Oh?" The balding man took on a bit of cocky adrenaline, shaking his hands as if he was ready to throw a punch. "Says who?"</p><p>"Her husband." He reached out and snatched the pen from the guy's ear and snapped it in half between his fingers. "<em>Boo</em>."</p><p>It might have been the fastest she'd ever seen a man run away from her.</p><p>"You didn't have to do that," she shyly said, picking up the two halves of the pen. "Creeps like him are fickle. Annoying, but they don't last too long if you don't answer...I'm fine."</p><p>"Then why are you shaking?"</p><p>"I said I'm fine," she said a bit too harshly, color rising to her cheeks as she jerked her arm away from the hand he had just placed on her elbow. "C'mon, let's just go find Meg so we can give her the party gift and get this evening over with."</p><p>However, finding Meg in the crowd of people was no easy feat. She had passed a dozen women who she all could've sworn was Meg. It wasn't until she saw Erik quite literally walk into her that they found her.</p><p>"Erik!" Meg squealed, throwing her arms around him. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!"</p><p>She watched as Erik— very awkwardly mind you— patted her back in the hug.</p><p>She was dressed to the nines as an over exuberant Vampire Queen complete with fangs and a high, stiff collar. Hair teased tall and purple lips and eyeshadow to match the purple of her dress. </p><p>"And Christine!" She reached over to pull her into an even awkward-er three person hug.</p><p>It was a good thing she loved Meg.</p><p>Meg released them and got a good look at her up and down before saying: "You make such a cute puppy dog! How original!"</p><p>She didn't hear him, but she could see Erik's mouth moving to form the word "Chewbacca" under his breath. She couldn't help but laugh, giving a twirl for Meg to show off the rest of her coat. "It does make a cute puppy outfit- you're so right!"</p><p>She could already smell the alcohol in Meg's breath and was sure she was more than a little tipsy as she turned to walk away but found another person to talk to instead. The socialite lifestyle suited Meg so much better than it had suited her. Meg flitted like a butterfly.</p><p><em>If Meg is a butterfly, makes me a moth, I guess</em>...</p><p>She shook her head. She hated dwelling on 'what could have been' and the like. She had the now and that's all the mattered. She reached for Erik, to wrap around his arm—</p><p>No Erik. She looked around, but she couldn't see him.</p><p>Slowly she began making her way through the crowd, looking for the tallest head in the crowd. Not by the drink table, not by the fireplace, not by the entrance to the dining room- ah ha! He was standing back towards the foyer surrounded by a gaggle of men whom she could only assume were blasted off their faces by the way they were stumbling for their balance.</p><p>"Who are you supposed to be anyway? Zorro?"</p><p>This caused the entire group to burst out in laughter, almost encircling Erik. She wanted to go to him, but she stayed hidden in the doorframe. Something about these men didn't feel right to her but she couldn't put her finger on it.</p><p>"I'm actually Snoke, from Star Wars," he explained. She could see he was struggling to keep his composure by the way his hand twitched into a fist by his side and how his eyes were more narrowed than they usually were beneath the black of the mask.</p><p>"Huh- I would think more Darth Vader with that mask!" another one called out, still laughing.</p><p>Erik's lips thinned into a straight line.</p><p>"Darth Vader- isn't he all burned up under his helmet?" someone else chimes in, coming closer to Erik.</p><p>"Yeah, did you do your makeup, cape boy?" the other one stepped closer as well.</p><p>"No, I did not," Erik growled, pushing his way around the men, but one of them grabbed the tail of his cape and pulled him back.</p><p>"Aren't you that Daaé girl's boy toy?" The one who pulled him back asked too loudly.</p><p>"Wait- yeah, you were in the paper—"</p><p>"I heard that you actually are burned up under there—"</p><p>"I heard that you—"</p><p>"I heard-"</p><p>"I—"</p><p>She could stand no more.</p><p>"Hey!" She yelled as loud as she could. "Get your hands away from him," she snarled, coming to stand in front of Erik, attempting to rip the cloak from the grasp of the man who had it.</p><p>The man grabbed her wrist. "Oh, little gold digger come to defend her boyfriend—"</p><p>"<em>Husband," </em>she broke her hand free.</p><p>By this time Erik had a gloved hand pushed up against the man's chest, backing him steadily into the wall behind him.</p><p>"You touch my wife or any woman ever again and I will personally come to your house and rip your throat out. Understood?"</p><p>The man nodded, eyes wide and gasping for air.</p><p>Erik released him and the man slid to the floor with a thud. Christine came to take his hand as the other men dispelled, thoroughly scared off. Hopefully they were too drunk to be believed when they told the tale of the violent masked man to other party-goers. </p><p>"Come on, let's just get out of here," she said, nudging him away from the man that he still was seething over. With a nod, Erik reluctantly followed, his eyes on the man until they were out the front door. However, it was Christine rattling with anger by the time they got to the car. Erik was the one to pull his phone out first as Christine unlocked the car and climbed in, slamming the door behind her.</p><p>"Nadir? Hey, is it too late to come over? Yeah, we've, uh...had a change of plans..."</p><hr/><p>"I am so glad you guys made it!" Nadir said, opening the door. He was donned in a police hat and a T-shirt with the word "CANDY POLICE" in big chunky white letters.</p><p>Christine smiled warmly at him and followed Erik in through the door. "Thank you for letting us come a little late, our plans went a little..um, not as planned," she explained, closing the door behind her.</p><p>"Yeah, Erik told me on the phone," she shot Erik a look as Nadir talked, "but I'm glad you're here. Mandy actually had to go upstairs for awhile because she felt a little lightheaded, so I've been trying to watch the kids in the kitchen and their pumpkin carving <em>and </em>man the door for trick or treaters—"</p><p>"We can man the door."</p><p>"Really?" Christine said, looking at Erik as though he'd lost his mind.</p><p>"Really?" Nadir echoed. "It would be a huge help, I've got the candy bowl by the door—"</p><p>"DAD! GARRET TOOK MY PUMPKIN SCOOPER!"</p><p>Christine laughed as Nadir rolled his eyes.</p><p>"I'll be back," he said, jogging back around the corner to the kitchen.</p><p>The Kahn's living room was aptly decorated with window and wall clings of bloody handprints and fake cobwebs hanging from corners of shelves. The lights had been lowered and the TV in front of the sofa was turned to Freeform, the familiar string music of <em>The</em> <em>Nightmare</em> <em>Before</em> <em>Christmas</em> softly playing out of its speakers. <em>Cozy</em>.</p><p>"I much prefer this to whatever the hell that was we just came from," Erik said, handing her a Twix bar from the candy bucket.</p><p>"Agreed," she nodded, unwrapping her chocolate.</p><p>They spent the next hour giving out candy to dozens of little trick or treaters, each one delighted when the people on the other side of the door were also in costume. Erik, much to her surprise had taken off his mask and placed it on the coffee table. Kids lit up. He got everything from 'cool zombie makeup!' and 'awesome alien mask' to simply 'woah!'. But Erik's favorite kid of the night came from a boy who looked to be about 11 in a Darth Maul costume.</p><p>"Wow! Nice Snoke costume!" he exclaimed as Christine tossed a handful of candy into his plastic pumpkin bucket.</p><p>"Thank you!" Erik said a little too loudly, shooting Christine a glare as if to say 'I told you so'.</p><p>And so Erik gave him some extra candy.</p><p>She thought he'd be upset at the strange assumptions of the kids and them openly going 'ewww' when he turned to give them candy, but he wasn't, and she found that honestly, she wasn't upset either. These kids were truly amazed by his 'costume' and Erik was all the more happy to let the kids gawk without the stares of their parents. It was sweet.</p><p>
  <em>He's so good with kids...</em>
</p><p>It was a conversation they had avoided having. She honestly didn't know her own opinion on what she wanted of the future and she was afraid that hers and Erik's answers wouldn't align. But maybe she would bring it up later that night after they had gone home. He was just so gentle around kids and there was a playful gleam to his eyes when he talked to them. She sighed and put it on the back burner. She would find the right time to bring it up.</p><p>The hoards of children had thinned out and Nadir's candy supply was severely depleted. Erik flipped off the porch light when he looked out the window.</p><p>"Christine, come look at this."</p><p>She came to stand beside him and peered through the blind too when she saw it. Nadir had taken Reza's entire party across the street to get a picture in their costumes with Erik's giant, light up, inflated Sandworm.</p><p>"See, it <em>was</em> worth fixing," he said as he led her away from the window towards the TV. He reached for the remote to turn the volume up a bit before taking his wife into his arms. "You know, I think this is my favorite part of this movie."</p><p>She glanced over his shoulder to see Jack Skellington and Sally under the large ivory moon on top of the curved mountain.</p><p>She smiled. "Really? Mine too."</p><p>"<em>Simply meant to be...</em>" he crooned in her ear as they waltzed around Nadir's living room, the ending instrumental giving them all the music they needed.</p>
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